Ezra 6:18

The Bible says in Ezra 6:18-22, “And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.[19] And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.[20] For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.[21] And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,[22] And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.” There are several clues in this passage as to why things were going so well for the Israelites at this point. Notice in verse eighteen that it says they were doing according “as it is written in the book of Moses.” Read the Word, learn the Word, and put the Word into practice. Verse nineteen says that they “kept the Passover.” The true meaning of the Passover is so important even for today. Jesus is our Passover. The only reason that believers are not in danger of the wrath of God like everyone else, is because Jesus died in our place. The substitute took our penalty upon Him. But in order to have this eternal forgiveness from Jesus, we must truly repent. That includes the desire to change one’s life for the better. It says in verse twenty-one that the Israelites “separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land.” Some of the world’s activities are secular and ungodly and go against the teachings of the Bible. If you want to be close to the Lord, you must get those things out of your life. In other words, you must repent. Also, verse twenty-two says that they “kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy.” Leaven is symbolic of sin because just a little bit permeates the entire loaf. Get rid of the sin so that everything else in your life can be right and whole. It says that they kept the feast “with joy.” Get sin out of your life and you will have a happier life. Sin brings sorrow as well as other negative consequences.

The Bible says in Ezra 7:1-10, “Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,[2] The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,[3] The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,[4] The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,[5] The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:[6] This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.[7] And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.[8] And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.[9] For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.[10] For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” These verses tell us some important details about the man named Ezra. First of all, we see that Ezra was in the lineage of Aaron, the chief priest and the brother of Moses. It says in verse six that Ezra was “a ready scribe in the law of Moses.” The word that is translated “ready” means to be “diligent” or “skillful.” It is used in Proverbs 22:29 that says, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” In other words, Ezra was given certain advantages in life because of his family and because of his occupation. Ezra did not lose the significance of what was given to him. He allied himself and he learned. He learned the Word of God. Verse ten is an important verse. It says, “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” Ezra not only studied the Word of God, but he also put it into practice. Once he learned the Word and put it into practice in his own life, then he was able to teach it to others.

It is good to read the entire letter that was written by King Artaxerxes to Ezra before commenting on it. The Bible says in Ezra 7:11-26, “Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.[12] Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.[13] I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.[14] Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellers, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;[15] And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellers have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,[16] And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:[17] That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.[18] And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.[19] The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.[20] And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.[21] And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,[22] Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.[23] Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?[24] Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.[25] And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.[26] And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.” Notice that Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, in verse twelve called Ezra, “the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven.” That means that Ezra had a good testimony before the people of the world. When people thought about Ezra, they thought about the God whom Ezra served. Notice that in verse thirteen Artaxerxes gave freedom to the people of Israel. He said about the Jewish people who lived in his kingdom, “which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem.” God’s will is that people be free. God gives freedom of choice and therefore leaders of countries should also give freedom of choice to their people. The devil’s work is to oppose freedom. Another thing to notice about this passage is how much Artaxerxes made sure that the Jewish people had plenty of money to do this project. Every Christian work needs some money to pay the bills. Those who have money in their power need to use it for God’s glory. Artaxerxes made “a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river” so they would help finance the work of the Jews. In case anyone tried to get the money that the Jews had, Artaxerxes decreed that “it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.” Artaxerxes knew that too many taxes can harm the ability of people to use their own resources for their own projects. This is an important part of freedom. The more that government takes your money in taxes, the less freedom that you have to use your money as you see fit under God. In verse twenty-five, even though Ezra probably did not need such a command, Artaxerxes commanded Ezra to “teach ye them that know them not:” that is, teach the Word of God to those who do not know it. Artaxerxes was a wise and good leader. He knew that the people of the land need to hear the Word of God. The judges in our country took the Word of God out of the schools. What a contrast! Finally, in verse twenty-six Artaxerxes backed up his decree in favor of the Jewish people with all the authority and power that he possessed. Artaxerxes said about any who would not do the Word of God, “let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.”

The Bible says in Ezra 7:27-28, “Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem:
[28] And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.” Ezra recognized that what the King of Persia did for him and the Jewish people was the hand of God. Not only did God use the king, but God also used the king’s “counsellors” and “princes.” In other words, the entire government of Persia was aligned to help Ezra and the Jewish people. God can do anything. If the persecution of Christians is going to stop and if freedom of speech is going to win the day for the sake of the Gospel, God will have to make such things happen by means of the governments of many nations of the world. We would like to see good things happen to our country, but they will not happen unless God does it. God can do it because He can do anything, and He has done it before. God can change the hearts of the people in power, whether it be judges or senators or whoever.

Ezra was a mighty man of God, but he did not take credit for that. Ezra knew that God had strengthened him. That is why Ezra said in verse twenty-eight, “I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me.” Even so, Ezra could not have done what needed to be done without the help of other believers. Ezra said at the end of verse twenty-eight, “I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.” One person can do a few things for the Lord, but everyone working together can do a lot more. God wants Christians to work together. That is one of the reasons that Jesus created the church: so that Christians would be united in one loving family, serving the Lord together.

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